


Sole Saunter

by The_Epitome_of_Pretense



Series: The Sole Saga [21]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: F/M, Far Harbor, Flirting, Fluff, I Love You, Kissing, Neck Kissing, Robot/Human Relationships, The Scientific Method
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-24 20:29:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17107607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Epitome_of_Pretense/pseuds/The_Epitome_of_Pretense
Summary: Nick Valentine and the Sole Survivor engage in a battle of flirtation. Who shall arise the victor?





	Sole Saunter

**Author's Note:**

> Hello to both of my readers! Thought you might like something a little steamy. If you like it, feel free to give it a comment, a kudo, or a reblog!

Mid-morning light pierced through the pines of Far Harbor. The deadly fog had thinned that day; Sole took it as a sign to make the trek to Acadia. Now she and Nick were nearly to the top of the mountain. A strong wind whipped through the trees, making the forest moan with all the melancholy of a ghost.

“Good grief, this is a cheerless place if I’ve ever seen one,” Nick said. “I feel sorry for Kasumi, coming through here all by herself.”

“She’s tougher than I am. I love a spooky atmosphere once in a while, but not when I’m this far from home. And definitely not when I’m alone.”

Nick struggled to keep his hat on his head.

“How about a little music? Might lighten the mood,” he said.

“Good idea.”

Sole switched on her radio. The wind almost choked out the tune, but they continued on.

They had just rounded a bend—where they found a much calmer breeze—when “Personality” came on the radio. Sole murmured the words to herself.

Nick nudged her shoulder.

“I don’t care what this song says,” he said. “I think you’ve got the cutest personality”

“Goodness, that’s a bit forward,” she laughed.

“What? You know I’ve always liked the way your mind works.”

“Wait a minute. Do you think that they’re singing about actual personalities?”

“That is the name of the song.”

“Oh Nicky, sweetie.”

“What else would it be about?”

She hesitated to answer.

“It’s about their behinds.”

Nick looked taken aback.

“What? No it—Wait.”

He listened for a moment, his brow furrowed. Then he bowed his head.

“Damn it…” he muttered.

“I hope you haven’t said that to anyone else.”

He hid his face in his hand.

“I said it to Ellie once.”

Sole stifled a giggle.

“What did she say to that?”

“She laughed and said ‘you too.’ I always wondered what was so funny.”

“You poor thing.”

He sighed.

“I’ll live.”

Sole elbowed him and threw him a playful smirk.

“So.”

“Hmm?”

“Still think I’ve got the cutest personality?” She said.

He glanced behind her.

“Yep.”

She clapped a hand to her mouth.

“Oh goodness,” she said. “I didn’t think you’d respond!”

“Ah-ha, revenge,” he said. “Now who can dish it out and not take it?”

“No, no, no, I’ve still got you beat there.”

He reached over and smacked her backside.

“Nick!”

“Doll?”

She could feel herself burning red, but she couldn’t stop smiling. Nick merely wore a crooked, triumphant smirk. A moment passed before she could gather her wits enough to speak.

“Well!” She said. “I tell you that I love you, and you think you can take liberties all of a sudden?”

“I just wanted to see you blush.”

“Hmph. You could have at least used your left hand. And here I thought you were a gentleman.”

“I can be gentle,” he said, casting her a sidelong glance.

The words alone would not have affected her—but paired with the look in his eyes and his deep tone of voice—it made her heart skip a beat. She stopped in her tracks. It took all her willpower not to reveal how shocked she felt. But now was her chance to turn the tables; she ignored her racing heart and leaned back against a nearby tree, rolling back her shoulders in coquettish fashion.

“Is that a fact,” she said.

She expected him to turn away in embarrassment, but he did not. Rather, he approached her and placed his hands on her waist.

“So far it’s only a theory,” he said. “What say we prove it?”

She grinned.

“And how would we do that?”

He let his hands slip down to the fullness of her hips. She expected him to kiss her, but he held back.

“First we ask a question. ‘Nick says he’s gentle. Is it true?’”

“I’ve observed him to be kind and helpful. Very, very helpful.”

Surely he’d kiss her then, she thought—but he did not.

“That covers the research portion,” he said. “Now we’ve got a hypothesis: Nick is a nice, gentle guy.”

“What do we do next?”

 _Kiss me already,_ she thought.

“Run some tests. See if the hypothesis holds up.”

“How would we do that?”

“I have an idea.”

He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. She wrapped her arms around his chest, clutching at his coat. She breathed deep, relishing the earthy smell of the woods, the way it mixed with his metallic scent, wanting to breathe him in completely.

She pulled away to catch her breath.

“Science probably would have never progressed this far if people had figured out they could kiss the science,” she said.

“It would have ground to a halt when the science learned it could kiss back.”

She ran her fingers up the back of his neck.

“Tempting technology,” she said.

“Beguiling biology.”

He cradled her head, bringing her lips again to his. Sole struggled to keep from smiling.

“You know, this is damn hard to do when you’re grinning like that,” he said.

“Oh, sorry.”

She forced her lips into a frown. She managed to hold it for one second before they both burst out laughing.

“Eh, I’ll get by,” he said.

He kissed the edge of her smile, then worked his way along her jaw, coming at last to rest just below her ear. It sent a shiver up her spine. She would take these shivers over the pangs of fear she normally felt. She remembered where they were then; a lapse in attention here could be fatal. Fear was a good thing to have, especially in this mist-laden forest.

“We should probably keep an eye out,” she said. “I’d hate for something scary to get the jump on us.”

Nick gave a playful growl and gently bit her neck. She sucked in a breath. The air caught in her throat and stung like pepper; she clutched him tighter and coughed.

He drew away.

“You alright?”

It took her a moment before she could speak.

“—Something in the air,” she gasped.

“The air?” he looked around. “Shit—the fog—”

He wrapped an arm about her waist and took off for higher ground. Soon they entered a clearing where the fog was thin. Sole finally caught her breath.

Nick stepped away from her, rubbing his brow.

“I’m so sorry,” he said. “Normally I pay attention, but—”

“—It’s okay.”

“Of all the times and places to let myself get caught up…”

She looked to him and found his eyes heavy with guilt. She took his hand.

“Hey,” She said. “This is nobody’s fault.”

“If one of us has a problem, then—”

His lips pressed together in a thin line. He let out a breath.

“I’m just blaming myself again.”

She nodded.

“I was distracted, too. Don’t get yourself into a tizzy,” she shot him a grin, “sugar-circuits.”

He turned away and pulled his hat down over his eyes.

“We should—we should probably get going,” he said.

“Now who’s blushing.”

“Not me.”

“Come on, let’s get above the fog line.”

She led them further up the path, his hand still in hers. In time they heard the murmuring of distant conversations.

“Must be getting close. I hope those voices are friendly,” Nick said.

Sole glanced up the ridge and saw the top of a structure. More loomed in the distance. She pointed it out.

“I think this is the place. If it isn’t, I’ll have to tell Longfellow to give better directions next time.”

With that, they started on their way up the last stretch of the hill.

  


* * *

 

 

Sole couldn’t believe it. Never in a million years would she have guessed what they would find on top of that mountain. A long-lost brother? It seemed too melodramatic to be true. Her head reeled.

She and Nick made their way down the stairs. Kasumi should be on the next level. All that remained was to convince her to go back to her parents. But if the girl had made it all the way here on her own, Sole found it hard to believe that she would leave without a fight.

Nick went to open the door on the landing, a distant look in his eyes. Sole placed a hand over his.

“Hey,” she said, “how are you holding up?”

He took in a breath.

“I’m not sure. This is a lot to process.”

“Are you going to be okay?”

He nodded. Then he turned to her, a weary look sitting heavy on his features. In that moment, she could believe that he had been around longer than a century.

“What do you think?” he said, his voice quiet, almost hesitant. “Do you think he really is my brother?”

The searching desperation in his eyes made Sole want to cry. She wanted to tell him that he had a chance at family and that he shouldn’t let that pass him by. But this decision was too weighty for her to make.

“I don’t want to tell you what to do or think,” she said. “There’s certainly good reason to be cautious, but… the resemblance is pretty definitive. And if you do accept him, he could be something that Old Nick didn’t have.”

He took her hands and kissed them.

“I’ve already got something he didn’t have.”

She struggled to hide her smile. She stepped behind him, wrapping her arms about his middle.

“Whatever you decide, I’ve got your back.”

He folded his hands over hers.

“I might need some time to take it all in.”

“Take all the time you need.”

“He would be the closest thing I have to a blood relative. I never put much stock in that, but it is something to think about.”

“That’s true. And I’m not trying to sway you or anything, but I have to admit I like him. I mean, he is looking after my grandkids. And he seems nice enough,” she stood on her toes, bringing her lips close to his ear. “Though I think you have a better personality.”

Nick laughed. She relished the sound, the movement of his shoulders. He pulled her arms closer around him.

“You always know just what to say,” he chuckled. “Now let’s go get Kasumi.”

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in one 24-hour period... oof.


End file.
